Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Monday 22 November 1999

Scottish Executive

Birds

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-891 by Sarah Boyack on 24 August 1999, how the money awarded to the Scottish Raptor Group was spent, what the performance targets were and whether these targets were met and, if not, why not.

Sarah Boyack: The funding provided to Raptor Study Groups (for which the Scottish Raptor Group is the co-ordinating body) is provided to support the travel expenses of volunteers undertaking counts and observation of raptors, and enables SNH to ensure that volunteer effort is directed towards priority areas and priority species. SNH does not, therefore, set performance targets but ensures value for money for this expenditure by monitoring details of all mileage undertaken by Study Group volunteers and through receipt of all count information compiled by the Groups.

Crime

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle youth crime in Scotland.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive’s policies on crime generally are set out in Making it Work Together . On youth crime the work of the children’s hearings system and the courts aims to tackle offending behaviour through a range of measures. The Cabinet recently discussed the overall approach to youth crime to consider how best to improve policies in this area. As a first step I am undertaking a review of existing disposals available to the hearings system and the courts particularly in relation to persistent young offenders. Our aim is to tackle the causes of crime and prevent reoffending.

Culture

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it was informed of a potential deficit to be incurred by Scottish Opera in the current year.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive became aware of an expected increase in the level of this year’s deficit on 5 October 1999.

Education

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail expenditure on schools by unitary authority in each year since their inception, and the projected expenditure in 1998-9 prices for future years for which information is available, as a total and per pupil.

Peter Peacock: Information about expenditure on primary, secondary and special schools is given in the table. Because of changes in funding arrangements over the years in question, information on expenditure on nursery schools is not available in the form requested and is not, therefore, included in the table. Information about expenditure for the 1998-99 financial year is not yet available. Budgeted expenditure information is not available in the form requested. In a reply on 23 August 1999 (S1W-849), I provided detailed information about total revenue expenditure by Scottish local authorities on education.

  The figures in the table below reflect the spending plans inherited from the previous Administration. As indicated in the earlier reply to which I have referred above, local authority budgeted expenditure for the years after 1997-98 shows a considerable uplift.

  


Net current expenditure on local 
  authority primary, secondary and special schools (at 1998-99 
  prices) 







1996-97 Total 
  Expenditure (£000) 


1997-98 Total 
  Expenditure (£000) 


1996-97 Expenditure 
  Per Pupil (£) 


1997-98 Expenditure 
  Per Pupil (£) 




Aberdeen City 
  

72,921 
  

72,879 
  

2,638 
  

2,644 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

93,327 
  

94,077 
  

2,525 
  

2,544 
  



Angus 
  

42,547 
  

42,648 
  

2,545 
  

2,563 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

38,891 
  

36,653 
  

2,887 
  

2,723 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

20,016 
  

19,552 
  

2,672 
  

2,588 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

60,176 
  

59,740 
  

2,684 
  

2,648 
  



Dundee City 
  

60,202 
  

59,746 
  

2,770 
  

2,776 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

47,463 
  

48,605 
  

2,421 
  

2,485 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

44,790 
  

44,218 
  

2,309 
  

2,273 
  



East Lothian 
  

31,191 
  

30,213 
  

2,495 
  

2,361 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

34,603 
  

35,894 
  

2,253 
  

2,326 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

126,340 
  

127,842 
  

2,519 
  

2,541 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

18,208 
  

17,736 
  

3,879 
  

3,867 
  



Falkirk 
  

52,850 
  

52,457 
  

2,489 
  

2,470 
  



Fife 
  

135,475 
  

134,324 
  

2,499 
  

2,484 
  



Glasgow City 
  

232,740 
  

219,367 
  

2,866 
  

2,694 
  



Highland 
  

98,035 
  

95,037 
  

2,861 
  

2,782 
  



Inverclyde 
  

34,609 
  

33,346 
  

2,469 
  

2,404 
  



Midlothian 
  

33,894 
  

33,823 
  

2,608 
  

2,602 
  



Moray 
  

36,265 
  

35,527 
  

2,646 
  

2,573 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

56,188 
  

55,946 
  

2,557 
  

2,546 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

136,950 
  

138,501 
  

2,532 
  

2,585 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

11,858 
  

11,912 
  

3,573 
  

3,623 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

46,447 
  

46,179 
  

2,533 
  

2,518 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

69,659 
  

67,428 
  

2,505 
  

2,426 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

41,416 
  

38,557 
  

2,704 
  

2,494 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

16,547 
  

15,812 
  

4,210 
  

4,024 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

42,697 
  

42,737 
  

2,420 
  

2,448 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

123,146 
  

119,478 
  

2,536 
  

2,482 
  



Stirling 
  

33,992 
  

33,434 
  

2,748 
  

2,664 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

41,135 
  

39,564 
  

2,570 
  

2,482 
  



West Lothian 
  

63,892 
  

63,077 
  

2,578 
  

2,513 
  



Scotland 
  

1,998,470 
  

1,966,308 
  

2,616 
  

2,575 
  



  Notes:

  

All figures 
  are net current expenditure excluding costs of home to school transport, 
  school meals, education authority central administration costs, 
  and loan and leasing charges, adjusted to 1998-99 prices using the 
  GDP deflator.


Figures derived 
  from local authority financial returns (LFR1) for 1996-97 and 1997-98.

Education

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the actual, estimated and planned expenditure per university student in the higher education budget in Scotland in each year for which figures are available.

Henry McLeish: Information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure is not planned or allocated per university or college student. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council receives a grant each year from the education budget which is then allocated to individual higher education institutions. Information is given below which shows both the total grant and student places. Those places may be occupied by students from elsewhere in the UK or EU:

  


Financial year 


Grant 
  


Student places 
  eligible for funding (FTE)* (planned) 


Student places 
  eligible for funding (FTE)* (actual) 




1997-98 
  

£549 million 
  

118,700 
  

119,100 
  



1998-99** 
  

£528 million 
  

118,700 
  

120,500 
  



1999-2000 
  

£588 million 
  

118,700  
  
 



  * Full-time equivalents

  **Figures adjusted to reflect change in payment sequence

  Funding for Scottish domiciled students may also be available through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. The information below provides information from that Agency and includes all full-time higher education students, including those who undertake their studies at Colleges of further education.

  


Financial year 


Expenditure 
  


Students assisted 
  




1997-98 
  

£410 million 
  

115,143 
  



1998-99 
  

£412 million 
  

112,289 
  



1999-2000 
  

£411.3 million (planned) 
  

N/A

Environment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to ensure that the £40 million collected in landfill tax in Scotland will be allocated to Scotland to be used in environmental improvement projects.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues.

  It is not possible to assess accurately the amount of landfill tax paid in relation to waste which is landfilled in Scotland because the tax is assessed according to where operating companies are registered.

  Records up to the end of 1998 from the tax credits scheme indicate that 12% of the UK scheme funds have been spent on environmental projects in Scotland (representing over £5 million). This compares with tax payments being paid by companies registered in Scotland amounting to 8% of the total UK landfill tax payments

Environment

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish draft guidance about the new statutory regime for contaminated land.

Sarah Boyack: Draft statutory guidance on the new regime for clearing up contaminated land and bringing it into productive use is being published, for consultation today. The new contaminated land regime will form an important part of the armoury of powers available to local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to protect and improve the condition of our environment. It will give them clear duties to find problem sites and bring about their remediation.

  We have inherited a great deal of land polluted by industry in times when the impact of our actions on the environment was given insufficient consideration. We now have to clean up the consequences. The approach set out in the new regime, and in particular in the draft guidance, provides the best way of doing this. It focuses on the priorities, and makes sure that the inevitable cost burdens fall as fairly as possible. We intend to implement the new regime with effect from April 2000.

Farming

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish National Heritage (SNH) has paid farmers on Islay under the two goose management schemes of the last three years, and how much SNH will be paying this year.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has only operated one goose management scheme on Islay - the Islay Voluntary Goose Management Scheme (IVGMS) - which commenced for winter 1992-93.

  Payments made by SNH under the IVGMS are as follows:-

  


Period 


Amount 
  




Winter 1996-97 
  

£236,110 
  



Winter 1997-98 
  

£274,721 
  



Winter 1998-99 
  

£407,215 
  



Winter 1999-00 
  

£434,000 
  



  Notes:

  

In 1996-97 
  £134,079 was also paid to Islay farmers by SNH under individual 
  management agreements which have now expired.


In 1997-98 
  £118,150 was also paid to Islay farmers by SNH under individual 
  management agreements which have now expired.


Projected figure 
  for winter 1999-2000: amount will depend on actual goose numbers.

Fisheries

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1660 by Mr John Home Robertson, whether it has received any representations from the fishing industry on the financial impact caused by the scallop fishing ban and whether it now has any plans to introduce a compensation scheme for scallop fishermen and businesses affected by the ban.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive has considered representations from the fishing industry and shares its concern about the continuing need to restrict scallop fishing. It has concluded that compensation for the consequences of natural phenomena cannot be justified.

Food

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports Her Majesty's Government’s decision to allow a further investigation into traceability, testing, derived products, controls and labelling before taking legal action for the removal of the French ban on British beef.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive fully supports the approach taken by the UK Government to resolve the continuing French ban on exports of British beef. Scottish Ministers and their officials are actively involved in determining the UK’s response to the concerns of the French, which seeks to safeguard the long term interests of Scotland’s beef industry.

Local Government

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the operation of the communication department of Fife Council.

Mr Frank McAveety: No. I have not received any complaints about the operation of the communication department of Fife Council.

Ministers

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy toward the recording of material for inclusion in future literary diaries by its Ministers.

Donald Dewar: The Executive does not have a formal policy on the recording of material for inclusion in future literary diaries by Ministers. However, the principle of collective responsibility and the confidential nature of discussions between Ministers and their civil servants impose certain restrictions on former Ministers who are contemplating the publication of material based upon their recollection of the conduct of Executive business in which they took part. They are required to submit their manuscript to the Permanent Secretary and to conform with the principles of the Radcliffe Report of 1976 (Cmnd 6386).

Social Inclusion

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a Social Inclusion Strategy.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I am today publishing Social Justice – A Scotland Where Everyone Matters , which sets out our vision, targets and milestones on social justice for Scotland. This provides the framework of how working together, and in partnership with the UK Government, we can tackle poverty and injustice in Scotland and defeat child poverty within a generation. This will be followed by an Action Plan in spring 2000 and regular Annual Scottish Social Justice Reports.

Special Advisers

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been made to determine the salaries of Special Advisers and how these arrangements will be administered.

Donald Dewar: A Special Advisers Remuneration Committee (Scotland) has been established to advise me and the Permanent Secretary on all aspects of Special Advisers pay and conditions. The members of the Committee are the Minister for Finance in the Chair, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Principal Establishment Officer at the Scottish Executive. The Committee has established a systematic and objective approach to the determination of Special Advisers’ pay. It has agreed that there will be 3 pay ranges to reflect the experience and expertise which individual Special Advisers will bring and the role they will play. Range 1 will have a minimum of £16,660 and a maximum of £32,538. Range 2 will have a minimum of £28,188 and a maximum of £52,383. Range 3 will have a minimum of £41,550 and a maximum of £82,650.

  The Committee has agreed that the factors which would be taken into account when deciding to which pay range and salary level an Adviser should be allocated would be:

  previous earnings;

  previous experience;

  role to be undertaken;

  the nature of responsibility;

  internal relativities among Advisers;

  relativities with Civil Servants.

  The minima and maxima of the 3 Ranges will be revalorised annually on 1 April based on the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) for the Senior Civil Service paybands. The same factor will then be used to revise each individual’s salary within the range. The Remuneration Committee will determine the need for any future review of salary on a case by case basis when setting the initial salary level.

  Committee Individual salaries will remain confidential in order to protect the privacy of those concerned. However, the Special Advisers Remuneration (Scotland) under the chairmanship of the Minister for Finance has now decided the following allocation to the three Special Adviser Pay Ranges:

  Range 1 (minimum of £16,660-maximum of £32,538)

  One Adviser

  Range 2 (minimum of £28,188-maximum of £52,383)

  Four Advisers

  Range 3 (minimum of £41,550-maximum of £82,650)

  Four Advisers.

Sport

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make a statement to the Parliament about the funding of the National Football Stadium and its role, if any, regarding the hand-over to Sir Robert McAlpine of 1,200 tickets for the forthcoming Scotland versus England match.

Rhona Brankin: Broad agreement has been reached on a package to resolve the financial problems surrounding the National Football Stadium but detailed work is still needed to bring matters to a satisfactory conclusion. A full statement to Parliament will be made as soon as it is possible to do so.

  Queen’s Park FC has offered debentures in part payment of a debt it owes to Sir Robert McAlpine. It is normal for a private company to use its assets to meet its liabilities.

  Debenture owners have a guaranteed right to buy tickets at face value for particular matches. Debentures have been on sale to the public since November 1998 and continue to be so.

Sport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the arrangements whereby Austin Reilly through his company AR Ltd has been paid as a consultant by Queens Park FC Ltd to manage the National Stadium project by virtue of his role in the National Stadium plc are consistent with the assurances regarding the future management of the project to which its contribution of £2 million was subject.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any element of its contribution of £2 million to the Hampden Park rescue package has been paid to AR Ltd or Austin Reilly in connection with the National Stadium project.

Rhona Brankin: I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2296.

Sport

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage Glasgow City Council to actively support NPPG11, Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space, 1996, particularly in relation to redundant school sports grounds.

Sarah Boyack: All planning authorities must take account of the guidance in NPPG11 when preparing development plans and in carrying out their development control responsibilities.

Transport

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its forecast is of the rate of traffic increase over the next 10 and 20 years nationally and by travel to work area on the basis of continuation of current policies.

Sarah Boyack: The National Road Traffic Forecasts (Great Britain) 1997, which was produced by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, provides the latest forecasts of the projected growth in the volume of motor traffic on roads in Great Britain until the year 2031. This forecast shows an estimated growth in traffic levels from 1996 to 2011 of 28% and from 1996 to 2021 of 46% based on the capacity of the current road network, current policies and current behaviour.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether freight facilities grants will be extended to shipping and, if so, whether additional money will be made available for this purpose.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is responsible for those ferry and marine freight operations that start and finish in Scotland. The Government intends to extend Freight Facilities Grants to coastal and short sea shipping movements and will consult on the details later this year.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail (a) the current transport modal split for employees travelling to work at Victoria Quay, (b) the modal split for journeys by staff and the Executive between Victoria Quay and the Parliament and return, (c) the average cost of each modal form and (d) the number of journeys of each modal form made by the Executive.

Sarah Boyack: A study carried out in 1997 found that around 60% of staff commuted to Victoria Quay by private car, 32% by bus, 5% by train, 13% walk, and 6% cycle. (The figures add up to more than 100% as some staff use two modes, eg train and bus). The other information requested is not held centrally.

  The Executive recognises the need for more sustainable transport patterns and, as a first step, recently published a Green Transport Plan for Victoria Quay. A number of initiatives are underway or are planned. Copies of the Green Transport Plan have been placed in the Parliament’s Information Centre.

Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it intends to take to invest in rail infrastructure over this session of the Parliament and what proportion of this investment will be specifically allocated to health and safety initiatives.

Sarah Boyack: This year the ScotRail franchise will be supported by £208 million of public money. The cross-border franchises are also supported by the taxpayer. The franchises will continue to be supported throughout this Parliament and beyond. This support, together with fare revenues, enables ScotRail and the other train operating companies to pay access charges to Railtrack, in turn enabling Railtrack to maintain, renew and enhance the rail network. In doing so Railtrack are obliged to comply with health and safety standards set by the Health and Safety Executive and the company’s own Safety and Standards Directorate. The rail industry in Scotland has committed itself to investing in improved safety across the network. Standards Directorate.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the suggestion made by Highlands and Islands Enterprise that the value of the element of Air Passenger Duty collected from internal Scottish island air services be returned to the Scottish islands who received those services to be spent on support of those air services.

Sarah Boyack: Passengers on internal Scottish island air services are not subject to air passenger duty.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the recommendation of Highlands and Islands Enterprise that a strategic transport authority for the Highlands and Islands, with a wide range of powers to plan, franchise and regulate transport in the area, be created.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Office consultation on Regional Transport Partnerships elicited a variety of views on the need for a strategic transport authority for the Highlands and Islands. I am currently considering the responses on this and related issues and will make a statement later this year.

Transport

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has revised its estimate of the cost of upgrading the A77 given the recent price increases in asphalt and bitumen.

Sarah Boyack: No. The upgrading of the A77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh was priced in second quarter of 1998 prices for the Review of Scotland's Trunk and Strategic Road Programme.

  Prices of various materials and labour needed for construction fluctuate, and it will be necessary for the estimated cost of the scheme to be reviewed nearer the time for construction.

Transport

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which projects have been aided under the Trunk Road Cycling Initiatives in the last five years, and how much was spent on each project.

Sarah Boyack: Those projects which have been aided by the Trunk Road Cycling Initiative in the last five years and the estimated amount spent or committed to each project to date are set out in the two tables below. Table 1 (total £3.4 million) represents the outlay on trunk road interface sections and crossings for the National Cycle Network and on other trunk road cycling facilities. Table 2 (total £2.4 million) represents the estimated expenditure on cycling facilities within the new M74 corridor.

  TABLE 1: NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK AND GENERAL FACILITIES

  


Route 


Project / Location 
  


Estimated Cost 
  




A1 
  

Spott Road – Oswald 
  Dean 
  

N/A 
  



A1 
  

Lemington – Howburn 
  

N/A 
  



A6091 
  

Cycleway 
  

N/A 
  



A7 
  

Boleside 
  

N/A 
  



A7 
  

Galashiels - Hawick 
  Cycleway 
  

N/A 
  



A701 
  

Locharbriggs 
  

£35K 
  



A701 
  

Tinwald Downs Roundabout 
  

£50K 
  



A701 
  

Priory Roundabout 
  

N/A 
  



A737 
  

Highfield 
  

£30K 
  



A75 
  

A712 - U286 Creetown 
  

£40K 
  



A75 
  

Twynholm 
  

N/A 
  



A75 
  

The Glen 
  

£30K 
  



A76 
  

Bowhouse Roundabout 
  

N/A 
  



A76 
  

Lochhill 
  

£143K  
  



A76 
  

Bargower 
  

£88K  
  



A76 
  

North of Bowhouse 
  

£99K 
  



A76 
  

Lowes 
  

£15K 
  



A77 
  

Maybole 
  

N/A 
  



A77 
  

Dutchhouse - Spitallhill 
  

£100K 
  



A77 
  

Whitletts Roundabout, 
  Ayr 
  

£32K 
  



A77 
  

Holmston - Whitletts 
  

£13K 
  



A77 
  

Maybole - Girvan 
  Cycle Route 
  

£3K 
  



A77 
  

Maybole 
  

£3K 
  



A8 
  

Greenock 
  

N/A 
  



A8/M8 
  

Bargeddie 
  

N/A 
  



A82 
  

Longman Road 
  

£2k 
  



A82 
  

Kilbowie Road Clydebank 
  

N/A 
  



A82/A9 
  

Longman - Kessock 
  Bridge 
  

£17K 
  



A828 
  

Creagan Bridge 
  

£30K 
  



A85 
  

Glenoglehead 
  

£50K 
  



A85 
  

Leiters - Kingshouse 
  

N/A 
  



A86 
  

Kingussie - Newtonmore 
  

£186K 
  



A86 
  

Rubha na Magach - 
  Aberarder 
  

£60K 
  



A876 
  

Kincardine Bridge 
  

£2K 
  



A889 
  

North of Dalwhinnie 
  

N/A 
  



A9 
  

Inverness - Beechwood/Inches 
  

£15K 
  



A9 
  

Dalmagarry - Invereen 
  

£77K 
  



A9 
  

Slochd 
  

£115K 
  



A9 
  

Ralia - Etteridge 
  

£19K 
  



A9 
  

Drumochter (County 
  Boundary - Dalwhinnie) 
  

£529K 
  



A9 
  

Drumochter (County 
  Boundary - Dalnacardoch) 
  

£726K 
  



A9 
  

Tay Bridge 
  

£80K 
  



A9 
  

Birnam Station Link 
  

N/A 
  



A9 
  

Birnam Junction 
  

£18K 
  



A9 
  

Slochd Phase 1 
  

£18K 
  



A9  
  

Kessock - Tore 
  

N/A 
  



A9 
  

Logie Easter 
  

N/A 
  



A9 
  

North Kessock 
  

N/A 
  



A9/A96 
  

Inverness - Raigmore 
  Interchange 
  

N/A 
  



A90 
  

Longforgan 
  

N/A 
  



A90 
  

Anderson Drive Aberdeen 
  

N/A 
  



A90 
  

Peterhead 
  

N/A 
  



A95 
  

Kinveachy 
  

£73K 
  



A96  
  

Raigmore - Seafield 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Blackburn - Kintore 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Trades Park Nairn 
  

N/A 
  



A96  
  

Fochabers 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Forres - Kinloss 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Seafield - Raigmore 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Forres - Tarras 
  

N/A 
  



A96 
  

Auchmill Rd Aberdeen 
  

N/A 
  



M74 
  

Uddingston 
  

£3K 
  



M74 
  

Spindlehowe Underpass 
  

£30K 
  



M77 
  

Nithsdale Road 
  

£10K 
  



M77 
  

Ayr Road Route 
  

£450K 
  



M8 
  

Kinning Park 
  

N/A 
  



M8 
  

Easter Inch 
  

N/A 
  



M8/M9 
  

Newbridge 
  

£150K 
  



M90 
  

Halbeath - Crossgates 
  Roundabout 
  

£30K 
  






Total NCN & General 
  Projects  
  

£3371K 
  



  Note: N/A means that information is not or not yet available due to (a) the ongoing nature of project development works or (b) sums for cycling facilities having been included within a lump sum total for the whole project. Consequently no amounts for these facilities are included in the above total.

  TABLE 2: M74 CORRIDOR CYCLEWAY

  


Section 


Location/Description 
  


Estimated Cost 
  




Millbank J12 to Parkhead 
  

B7078 
  

£33.65K 
  



Parkhead to J13 Abington 
  

A74 northbound (conversion 
  of former northbound as B7078) 
  

£138.48K 
  



J13 Abington 
  

A702 
  

£3.27K 
  



South of Abington to Stoneyburn 
  

A702 
  

£125.82K 
  



Stoneyburn to J14 Elvanfoot 
  

A702 
  

£23.5K 
  



J14 Elvanfoot to Paddy’s Rickle 
  Bridge 
  

B7076 All Purpose 
  Route (APR) 
  

£59.7K 
  



Paddy’s Rickle Bridge to South 
  of Hells Cauldron Waterfall 
  

A74 southbound (conversion 
  of former southbound carriageway) 
  

£49.75K 
  



South of Hells Cauldron Waterfall 
  to Harthope Viaduct 
  

A74 (conversion of 
  former southbound carriageway as APR) 
  

£39.29K 
  



Harthope Viaduct to Coatsgate 
  

new build APR 
  

£1057.5K 
  



Coatsgate to U360 Loch House 
  

A74 northbound carriageway 
  as APR 
  

£27.5K 
  



U360 Loch House - Skellywell Mill 
  Road into Beattock


U360 Loch House – 
  Skellywell Mill Road 
  

£58.75K 
  



Beattock to Marchhouse 
  

A74 northbound (conversion 
  of former northbound carriageway) 
  

£38.81K 
  



Beattock South 
  

new build APR 
  

£25.33K 
  



Marchhouse to Lockerbie 
  

A74 (conversion of 
  former southbound
Carriageway as APR) 
  

£281.87K 
  



Lockerbie to Langhill 
  

B723 Lockerbie South 
  

£38.12K 
  



Blackford to Langbank 
  




£47.85K 
  



Langhill to Ecclefechan 
  

B7076 
  

£91.76K 
  



Ecclefechan to Kirkpatrick Fleming 
   
  

B7076 
  

£106.31K 
  



Kirkpatrick Fleming to Springfield 
  (Gretna)  
  

Contribution towards 
  adaption of minor side roads. 
  

£150K 
  



M74 Total 
  
 

£2397K

Transport

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what documents it has received from Midlothian Council in relation to the proposed upgrading of the A701 and in particular how many letters of objection have been received.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive have received from Midlothian Council an outline bid for Transport Challenge Funding (July 1996), an outline business case for upgrading of the A701 (May 1998), a report on the affordability of the A701 project (February 1999) and a report on the proposed A701 improvements (March 1999). The Scottish Executive have also received from the Council in October 1999 a Notice of Intention to Develop in respect of proposed transport improvements to the A701, together with associated documents including copies of letters from 440 people and three petitions listing a total of 266 signatures. In addition to the submissions from Midlothian Council the Scottish Executive have also received 60 letters and a petition with 502 signatures.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not support the Clackmannanshire council partnership bids in the recently announced public transport funding allocation for a new inter-regional rail freight route from Stirling to Dunfermline and the re-introduction of direct passenger rail services from Alloa to Glasgow.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive received a total of 26 bids to the second Public Transport Fund competition with the level of bids exceeding the resources available by over two to one. It is in the nature of a competition that not all bids can be successful. I decided not to approve Clackmannanshire Council’s £6.6 million bid as there are several issues relating to proposals to reopen the Stirling to Alloa railway line to passengers which require to be considered further. The Executive has not yet received an application for Freight Facilities Grant for the route. I have urged the Council to undertake further work on the economics of the project. I was sufficiently attracted to the aims of the project, however, to encourage the Council to resubmit its application, further developed, in the next round of the Public Transport Fund.

Transport

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S1W-1788 by Sarah Boyack on 26 October 1999, whether the information requested is available at a sub-national level and, if so, whether it will place the information in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Household Survey information is not yet available at a sub-national level. The survey began in February this year. While results are available for Scotland as a whole for each quarter, the survey is not designed to provide sub-national figures for any period which is less than a calendar year. In summer 2000, when a year's sample has been collected and checked, results for 1999 will be publicly available for the local authorities with the largest populations, and for groups of other local authorities. In summer 2001, results will be publicly available for every local authority, based upon the combined samples for 1999 and 2000.

Transport

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of each stage of the timetable for the construction and completion of the A77 upgrade from Fenwick to Malletsheugh.

Sarah Boyack: The Report on Strategic Roads Review published on 4 November states that construction could start in 2002 with completion by 2005. A detailed programme is being prepared. A crucial preliminary is work to replace the golf holes at the Eastwood Golf Club affected by the scheme. This work is expected to start by next summer with the land needed for construction of the road being available two years later.

Transport

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the A77 upgrade between Fenwick and Malletsheugh will proceed even if the PFI funding mechanism does not prove viable.

Sarah Boyack: There is now substantial successful experience of using private finance to fund major road schemes in the United Kingdom. I am confident that this procurement approach will provide value for money in the case of the new section of the M77.